


Black Lives Matter To Gems Too

by nicolai



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Black Lives Matter, Police Brutality, Racism, Social Justice, Teaching, blacklivesmatter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 09:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7430321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolai/pseuds/nicolai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Connie is upset about recent police brutality and explains to Steven what the problem is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black Lives Matter To Gems Too

“Connie, why do you seem so sad?” Steven asked, leaning off the side of his bed so that he could be level with her face as she sat on the floor. 

“I am sad, Steven,” she sighed heavily, forcing a slight, acknowledging smile to his look of concern, “It’s just, everything happening lately…”

“What do you mean?” he replied, scooting down to sit beside her and put his arm around her, “What’s wrong?” 

“Don’t you watch the news?” she asked incredulously, leaning against him. 

“Not really… It’s sad, and confusing most of the time. What’s going on?” he questioned further, petting her long, dark hair. 

“It’s the police, they keep shooting black people,” Connie burst out, “My parents told me that the police are here to protect us and we could trust them, but not everyone can, and I don’t look white anyway, so I don’t feel like I’m safe either.”

“The police shoot people?” Steven looked stricken and baffled, “They aren’t supposed to do that!”

“I should probably start a little further back. So, like, this country, well, no, the world, but this country especially in this way, has a race problem. White people are in charge mostly, and they always have been, and some of them want it that way, but others don’t really see it happening, and that means that black people, and everybody who isn’t white aren’t as safe as white people. And they can’t get jobs as easily or houses or all sorts of stuff,” she began explaining, finding Steven’s naivete endearing, if slightly inconvenient. 

“Oh, yeah, I think I remember Garnet saying something about that,” Steven nodded, “That’s why people on TV look more like me than you, right?”

“Exactly. There’s more representation for white people because it’s mostly white directors and producers, and they give jobs to more white actors,” Connie smiled, glad he had at least a little to go on here, “So that means that the culture, with our media like that, and white people mostly in charge, values white lives over black ones. Which isn’t okay. It means a whole bunch of stuff, but there are stereotypes about black people being more criminal, so people feel like it makes more sense when the police shoot them, and they aren’t as valued, so people don’t care as much either. Which makes cops, especially ones who are intentionally racist, feel like they can get away with murdering them. But even the ones who don’t think they hate black people or anything are still more likely to see them as a threat.” 

“That…” Steven chuckled a bit nervously, “sounds complicated. But okay, so the police are shooting black people because society doesn’t think they’re important? But they are important! Black people are really important! Like everyone! We have to tell the gems! We have to fix this!”  
He scrambled up, pulling Connie by the hand, and ran to Pearl, who was outside getting laundry off the clothesline. 

“Pearl! Pearl! The police are shooting black people and people think it doesn’t matter! We’ve gotta fix it!” he cried, running to hug around her waist. 

“What? Steven, that’s very sad, but that’s between the humans, and horrible things happen all the time and-” she broke off, seeing the tears welling up in her baby’s eyes. 

“And we definitely want to help, right Pearl? What can we do?” Garnet asked, jumping down from the roof, where she’d been relaxing; she understood Pearl’s point that they couldn’t fix everything about the world, but it was important to help in the situations that fell into their lap, and guiding Steven on trying to help whenever he could was a good idea. 

“Er, well, yes, of course,” Pearl nodded. 

Steven grinned, “Okay! But I-” he giggled, “Don’t really know what to do… Connie?” 

“There’s a Black Lives Matter rally tonight,” Connie smiled, “Maybe we could all go to it together?”

“That’s a great idea,” Garnet nodded, “Thank you, Connie. We’ll have to find more ways to get involved.”

Later that night, with homemade shirts and signs, the gems, Steven, and Connie joined a large crowd that filled the park and spilled out into the street. Their voices joined the other’s gathered in lifting up an obvious, but too often denied truth: 

“Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter!”


End file.
